Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-02-06
(St. James Gszette.I

Az tune when every one Is thinking
OF the best way in which 10 celebrate
the Queens jubilee in the coming yearit
may not be uninteresting to recall some
of the events in connection with the
celebration of the jubilee of George iii.
in 1869 That year was an eventful
one, even in the history of that most
eventful reign. Great Britain was
carving on heroic contest in the
Peninsula. January had witnessed the
battle of Corunna and the death of Sir
John Moore, and in July Sir Arthur
Wellesley was victorious ut Talavera,
and gained the title OF Viscount Wei
lington. Nearer home, on the other
hand, we had to lament the mismanage-
ment and failure Of the Walcheren ex
petition.
On the day of the jubilee, the 18th
of October, 1909, the court was in resi-
dence at Windsor, where the celebra-
ton was heralded at Is o'clock in tn
morning by IL sound of trumpets. After
divine service the royal party inspected
a bust Of his Majesty executed by the
sculptor Turnerelli. While the people
scrambled for the remains of m OK
which was roasted whole the gentry
thronged to a grand .ftte at Frog
more, enlivened with colored lamps
and fireworks Sat 10 O'Clock
the Queen (Charlotte) arrived, and
after her Majesty had joined the
company the fireworks began at the
the conclusion of which there appeared
on sudden, and as if by magic, on
beautiful piece of water opposite the
garden-front of the house, two tri-
umphal cars. drawn by two sea-horses
each-one occupied by Neptune, and
preceded by the other with band of
music" We read that they had ga
very superb appearance" Twelve
mprquees were erected on the lawn,
where the company sat down to an ele
CANT supper" In the town of Wind
sor large triumphal arch extended
from the Castle Inn right over the High
street to Che Town Hail. Another arch
Of the same kind was illuminated "by
exactly, 600 yariegated lamps" Among
other places the loyal town of Kew,
where royalty was wont to spend the
summer months, was brilliantly illumi-
mated. In London the jubilee was
celebrated with becoming solemnity.
London at this time was showing its
displeasure Mt the high prices charged at
the newly -erected Coyent- Garden Thea
tire by nightly disturbances, which culmi-
mated intheO. p riots. SThe foundation
stone of the theatre had been laid in
January with all the formalities OF
Freemasonry by the grand master, the
Prince of Wales, and in September the
theatre had opened with "Macbeth
and "Thc Quaker" Kemble playing
tie part of Macbeth. The expense OF
building had been great, and the prices
had been raised, at which the people
were much offended, as we see in the
dogeerel rhymes invented for the time:
MIR. Kemble, lower your prices, for
no evasion will suit John Bull on this
occasion"
At this time, too, mems minds were
full of the duel between Canning and
Lord Castlereagh, which had lately
taken place on Putney Heath. Popular
feeling WIS running high against the
Duke of York with regard to his con
duct in.war But to return to the jubi
lee. On the morning of the
25th the Lord Mayor proceeded
from the Mansion House to Guild
hall, where, being joined by the civic
dignitaries, procession was formed
to st. Paul's. He was received
blythe "West London Militia, and the
interior of the cathedral was lined with
River Fencibles." In the evening
there was banquet in the Egyptian
Hall, "with a plentiful supply of
Madeira and red port of a most superior
quality and flavor At night all the
principal buildings were splendidly
Illuminated. The paucity of regular
troops engaged in these rejoicings is
explained by the fact that all available
forces were ON foreign service. A pro-
clamation was issued for pardoning all
deserters from the fleet uncondition-
ally, and deserters from the land
forces if they surrendered within two
months. The Lords of the Admiralty
ordered an extra allowance of four
pounds of beef, three pounds of -four,
and pound Of raisins to every eight
men in his Majesty's ships in port, with
pint of wine or half pint of rum to
each man. Several Crown-debtors were
also set free, as well as many ordinary
debtors, by public subscription. Such
is a slight sketch of the jubilee held in
the "good old days" when George Ill.
was King.